A/N: I am sooooooo sorry for the long wait! Thank you all for your patience.

Chapter 15

The little bell above the door of Mr. Gold's pawnshop rang as Regina and Snow entered. Belle and Gideon were in the front of the shop. The mother and son were reading over a book together. One could guess that it was the novel "Her Handsome Hero." The hero of the story was Gideon's namesake. After Gideon's heart had been returned to him, it had become abundantly clear that he shared his mother's love of books. Belle looked up to see the two women who had just entered.

"Snow. Regina," Belle greeted them. "How are you today?"

"We are well. Thank you," Snow answered on their behalves.

"We were hoping to speak to Gold," Regina said straight to the point. "Is he here?" She was eager to finally have answers. It was Gideon who answered her.

"Father is in the back," Gideon said. "I'll go and tell him that you're here."

Regina nodded her thanks and Gideon went to the back of the shop. When the young man returned Mr. Gold was with him.

"Well, well, Madame Mayor," Gold said. "What brings you here to my shop on this lovely afternoon?"

"I'm here regarding a young child by the name of Danielle," Regina said.

"Ah, yes. Belle told me all about how you have been recently reunited with your long lost daughter."

"A daughter whom I have no memory of. That is why I am here. You must know something. A way to restore my memory."

"I can make you a memory potion. One that can restore memories which have been lost. It's a simple enough potion to make."

Regina raised her eyebrow. "What's the catch?"

Mr. Gold shrugged his shoulders. "No catch, dearie." Before he could say anything more, Belle interceded.

"Rumple knows better than that. You guys are family. Family helps one another. No deals attached."

Gold nodded his head. He returned to the back of the shop where he would mix the potion that would restore Regina's memory. Rumplestiltskin returned a few moments later, potion in hand.

"Here you are," he handed the vial over to Regina. "All you have to do, is drink."

"I know how potions work!" Regina snapped at the impish man. Rumple raised both his eyebrows.

"Sorry," Regina mumbled. "I'm just anxious." She took a deep breath and put the bottle to her lips. Regina tilted her head back and drank.

Her eyes closed and images of her forgotten past flashed in her mind's eye. Regina saw her younger self. A young bride with tears in her eyes and a hand over her stomach. An unborn child growing within. She was alone in her chambers, high above the castle grounds. Down below she could see Leopold, the king, and the young princess, Snow White. The king had young Snow on a pedestal. Regina seethed at the sight. The king would never love her child in the way he loved his own, for Regina's child was not his. She knew it in her heart. She felt it in her bones and in the depths of her soul. Her unborn child was Daniel's. Her true love. Now gone from this world. Lost to her by a broken promise of a spoiled princess. She lost everything because of Snow White. Her freedom, her future, her love. Now the child which grew inside Regina would be born in a world without it's father. Would be born inside castle walls where it would live in the shadow of Snow White. Regina could not bear to see that. Using her mother's old spell book, now hers, to summon the Dark One. More memories flashed before Regina Mills. With the aid of Rumplestiltskin, Regina hid her pregnancy from the eyes of Leopold, Snow White, and the rest of the kingdom. Only Regina was aware of the life growing inside of her. The months went by and when it was time for the child to be born, Regina feigned an illness, a stomach ailment and quarantined herself to her chambers. She only allowed a midwife in. Regina gave birth to a daughter. She held the girl in her arms and requested that Rumple erase the midwife's memory of what had occurred. The Dark One did so and sent the woman on her way. Regina sang softly to her baby girl, the product of the love she had shared with Daniel.

"Hello, my little princess," She said. "I wish that I could love you with all my heart, but it is too full of hatred. Hatred for Snow White. It is because of her that your father is dead," the infant squirmed in her mother's arms. "Snow White must pay for what she took from me, from us," Regina continued. "You, my darling girl, deserve more love than I am capable of giving you. Which is why I'm giving away. When I get my revenge on Snow White I will find you, my little princess."

Regina sang some more. A lullaby that her father had once sang to her when she was a young child. The baby girl in Regina's was soon lured to sleep by the sound of her mother's voice. The lullaby came to end and Regina sat in silence for a moment. When Regina was sure that her daughter was fast asleep, she spoke.

"Rumplestiltskin, I summon thee."

The Dark One materialized before Regina. "Hello, dearie." Rumple giggled. His laugh was taunting and sinister. "You called."

"You know our deal, Rumple," Regina said. "You take my daughter and hide her away. And I'll do whatever you want of me."

Rumple grinned devilishly. The queen narrowed her eyes. "What is it you want, imp?"

"All in good time, dearie," the Dark One said. "All in good time."

Regina rolled her eyes at his cryptic response. Not that she should have expected anything less.

"Just take the baby," Regina handed the infant over to Rumple. "Remember our agreement, Rumplestiltskin. I fulfill whatever... favor you want and I get my revenge on Snow White. Then you return my daughter to me."

"Actually, change of plans. You see, I can't take the risk that...what little maternal instincts you have in that twisted heart of yours, take over and you finding the girl and backing out of our deal before I get what I want."

Realization dawned on Regina. Rumplestiltskin was going to betray her to further his own agenda. What a fool she had been. She should have known that he'd stab her in the back.

"You twisted little imp!" Regina shrieked in outrage. She reached out to take her daughter back.

"Not so fast dearie." The Dark One waved his hand and Regina fell back onto her pillows, unconscious. Rumplestiltskin and the newborn child disappeared into the night.

The present day Regina's eyes flew open. She was lying on the floor of Gold's shop. Snow White was kneeling over her.

"Regina, are you alright?" Snow asked as she helped the other woman stand up.

"I believe so," Regina answered. "How long was I unconscious?"

"Not long, only about a minute. What did you see?"

"My daughter. I saw my daughter." Regina quickly turned to face Mr. Gold. Anger flashed in her eyes and the woman conjured a fireball in her hand.

"You treacherous imp!" Regina moved to throw the fireball at the pawnshop owner, but was stopped by Snow.

"Regina!" Snow stood in between Regina and Gold. "What did you see Regina?"

"You stole my memories of my daughter!" Regina continued to glare at Gold. "We had a deal!"

"What deal?" Snow asked. "Regina, what happened?"

Regina extinguished the fireball.

"I asked Rumple to magically hide my pregnancy and to take my child until I... got my revenge on you. In exchanged I promised Rumple whatever he wanted. And after I got my revenge, I was going to find my little girl. Instead he erased my memories of my daughter."

"It was too much of a risk for you to have your memories of your daughter. I needed you to enact your revenge and cast the Dark Curse. I couldn't take the chance that motherly love would overcome your desire to destroy Snow White. So I erased your memories."

Regina moved to strangle Gold, but was once again stopped by Snow.

"Regina. Strangling him won't change what happened. You have what you came. Let's just go."

Snow managed to convince Regina to leave the shop and return home. Regina and Danielle had a lot to talk about.

Later that night, Regina was tucking Danielle into bed.

"Did you have a good day, princess?"

Danielle snuggled down into her pillow.

"Yes, Momma," Danielle looked up at Regina. "Henry told me stories today."

"Is that so? Well, I'm happy the two of you are getting along." Regina pulled the comforter up to Danielle's chin. "And I have another story to tell you."

Bright blue eyes widened with curiosity. "You do?"

"I do," Regina said. "I went to go see Rumplestiltskin today. And I got my memories back. My memories of you."

"Oh," Danielle turned over so that she was facing away from Regina.

"Sweetheart, what's the matter?" Regina heard a sniffle come from Danielle. "Danielle, please, tell me what wrong."

"I'm scared."

"What are you scared of?"

"Now that you know why you gave me up, you won't want me anymore."

"Danielle," Regina said. "Can you turn around and look at me?"

Blue eyes peeked up at Regina.

"Will you tell me why you think I wouldn't want you?"

"Because I remind you of my father. That's why you had your memories of me erased, isn't?"

"Is that what you think?"

Danielle nodded her head. Regina opened up her arms. "Danielle, come here princess." Danielle tentatively crawled into her mother's arms. Regina held her daughter close and ran her fingers through her curls.

"I didn't give you up because I thought you would remind me too much of Daniel. I gave you up because I was selfish. I was too wrapped up in my desire for revenge and I thought a child would be a distraction, but I never wanted my memories erased."

"You didn't?"

"No, I didn't," Regina said. "After I got my revenge, I was going to find you. I was going to take you to the castle with me and we were going to be a family, but Rumplestiltskin betrayed me. I am so sorry, princess."

"So, you're not going to give me up again?"

"I'm not giving you up again," Regina said. "And I never should have given you up in the first." Regina dropped a kiss on Danielle's head. "Can you ever forgive me, princess?"

Danielle head Regina tightly. "I forgive you, Momma." Regina placed another kiss on Danielle's head.

"Thank you. You don't know what that means to me. Now, let's get you to bed. You have school tomorrow."

Regina tucked Danielle back into bed. "Good night, princess. I love you."

"I love you too, Momma," Danielle yawned. "Night." Regina turned off the bedside lamp and got up to leave. She turned to look at Danielle before leaving to go to her own bedroom. This was truly a happy beginning for Regina and Danielle.

As Danielle slept, she fell into a dream. Dreams were not uncommon for Danielle. Her dreams were special. They were visions of the past. However, this dream was different. Danielle could feel it. The dark haired little was standing in the middle of a white void of nothingness.

"Hello!" Danielle yelled. "Is anybody here? Hello!''

Danielle saw a figure in the distance coming towards her.

"Who's there?"

The figure came into view. It was a tall man with a pale complexion and dark hair, but it was his eyes that stood out to Danielle. They were the same shade of blue as her own.

"Daddy?"

Daniel called out to her. "You have to free me, Danielle."

Danielle tried to run to her father, but she was frozen in place. Daniel started to disappear from Danielle's view.

"Dad! Wait!" Danielle shouted. "What do mean? Free you from where?"

"Free me, Danielle."

Danielle shot up in bed. She was disoriented and it took a minute for her to realize that she was back in her bedroom. When she did, she also realized that she was not alone.

"Hey," Henry whispered. "Are you, okay? You sounded like you were having a bad dream."

The little girl shook her head. "I don't think it was a dream. I think it was something else. I saw my father."

"You mean Daniel?"

Danielle nodded her head. "Henry, I think that Daniel may be alive."